J Lo, Brit Set High Bar for Talent-Judge Salaries

It pays to be a judge: Jennifer Lopez (left) of "American Idol" and Britney Spears of "The X Factor" (Photos: Getty)

Britney Spears had at least one non-negotiable demand when she and her representatives hammered out her deal to become a judge on “The X Factor”: Her salary had to be higher than what Jennifer Lopez earned for her first season on “American Idol.”

As a result, Brit got a first-season deal worth $15 million, according to this story posted Tuesday on TMZ.com.

The story cites unnamed sources who say Brit demanded that her first-year salary for “The X Factor” at least match the reported $13 million J Lo earned for her first season of “Idol.”

The story says J Lo’s “Idol” salary then ballooned to $20 million for her second season (which ended earlier this month).

The story speculates that J Lo’s salary demands for season three, if she comes back for more “Idol,” will be even higher (and, in fact, they might go too high for Fox to bring her back).

It also means that if Brit’s a hit on “X Factor,” she too will demand a sky-high raise for her own Season Two. Stay tuned!